Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development received His Excellency Ambassador Hesham Badr, the General Coordinator of the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects and Chairman of the Initiative’s Organizing Committee, as well as Engineer Khaled Moustafa, the Permanent Representative of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and the supervisor of Egypt’s Government Excellence Award, and their accompanying delegation. This was on the sidelines of the Social Initiative Forum, which is periodically organized by Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development.
The initiative was launched by a decision of the Cabinet, under the patronage of His Excellency the President, and is being implemented under the supervision of the Minister of Planning and Economic Development. The National Arbitration Committee is headed by Dr. Mahmoud Mohy El Din, a pioneer in climate change for the Egyptian presidency.
In light of Egypt’s hosting of the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh, the initiative was presented as a national project that provides Egyptian solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change. It aligns with the country’s efforts to achieve sustainable development in the context of implementing Egypt’s Vision 2030 by preserving the environment to improve the quality of life and protect the rights of future generations, as well as implementing the National Climate Change Strategy 2050.
Ambassador Hesham Badr explained that the initiative is being implemented in the provinces of the Arab Republic of Egypt as a pioneering initiative in the field of sustainable and smart development, dealing with the environmental aspect and the effects of climate change by developing a map of smart green projects at the provincial level and attracting the necessary investments.
In the same context, Mr. Helmy Abouleish, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Heliopolis University, affirmed the university’s interest in the issue of climate change and its consideration as a main driver for all its educational, research, and community activities. He also highlighted the carbon bonds project, which the university and the SEKEM group of companies have been adopting for several years, and its importance in reducing climate change, improving the material condition of small farmers, and providing organic agricultural products at competitive prices.
In this passage, Dr. Jouda Helal, the President of the University, emphasized the university’s adoption of sustainable development thinking in all areas: educational, research, community service, and environmental development since its inception. He also confirmed that the university participated last year in five projects in the initiative, including the Carbon Credits project, which won among the projects of the Eastern Province. He stressed the necessity of participating in this year’s competition.
During the opening session of the Social Initiative Forum entitled “Green Buildings,” Mr. Eng. Khaled Mustafa, the Permanent Undersecretary of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, reviewed the goals of the initiative, the targeted categories for the projects, the concept of the projects, and the conditions and mechanisms for participating in the initiative.
Dr. Ahmed El-Shazly, the Director of Projects and International Relations at Heliopolis University, and Engineer Thuria Saada, the Director of the University’s Carbon Footprint Center, attended the meeting.